The Tension Between Lament And Praise In Psalm 22

10.1163/ej.9789004168473.i-290.19

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Chapter Summary

Psalm 22 represents an important development in the study of the sudden change of mood in the lament psalms. This chapter focuses on Psalm 22 that contains a movement from lament to praise. Scholars generally view Psalm 22 as consisting of two parts: Ps 22A and Ps 22B. The two sections differ remarkably in tone, representing two genres; the former being a lament and the latter, praise/thanksgiving. To determine the nature of the composition of the psalm the chapter analyses its structure and contents. It begins with an analysis of the structure of Psalm 22A and Psalm 22B to see whether the two parts represent two self-contained units. If they do, then we have some indications of a joining together of two compositions. A more extended textual discussion of v. 22 is provided, as this is significant to the discussion of the relationship between the major parts of the psalm.